With some rare downtime last fall, Bobbo and Tracy Byrnes of the band The Fallen Stars decided it would be interesting to divert themselves from their usual Americana songs and try something different.
Being science fiction fans, the Huntington Beach-...

It had been floating around in Tony Nobles' mind that maybe he shouldn't put on his legendary Halloween extravaganza this year. It would be too soon after his home in Fountain Valley was destroyed by fire in January.
But organizing the free event for 15...

Someone asked me the other day about the first specific event in my life that I can recall. After pondering for a moment, I realized that it was going to see "Return of the Jedi" at the Brea Mall in the summer of 1983. Of course, I have vague...

One note at a time, the Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra has picked up tempo in its three years of existence.
The HBSO took root in Surf City's rich communal soil in February 2009 with a modest goal of performing two concerts that initial year....

I love the world of so-called "classical" music.
To me, it's like this secret art form that so few in society truly comprehend.
And yet for those in the club, there it is, so clearly summiting the mountain of artistic endeavors. Year after year, it stands above the fray, impervious to the passing whims of what's in vogue.
But it can be a hard world in which to gain a passage of understanding.
More often than not, it is without recognizable melodies, hummable tunes and visual aids.
Indeed,...

The Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert on June 10 showcasing famous tunes and soundtracks from movies including "Star Wars," "E.T." and"Jaws."
The community orchestra, led by Music Director Grant Sevdayan, will perform its "Music from the Movies We Love" concert at 3 p.m. that Sunday in the Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave., H.B.
The orchestra will also play music from older classic films, such as "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music," as well as pay tribute...

TILL JUNE 23
West Coast Artists
"Contemporary Traditionalists: A West Coast Perspective," a show featuring 48 works by 18 South Orange County artists, runs at the Huntington Beach Art Center, 538 Main St. Among the artists on display are Scott Albert, Paul Cheng, Susan Jarecky, Casey Parlette and Bradford J. Salamon. There is an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. May 19 and regular gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 6 p.m. Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission...

Jabba the Hutt, the bloated, slimy gangster of the"Star Wars"universe, both made and ran into plenty of trouble on the desert planet of Tatooine, his home base for crime. But he might have found Huntington Beach even more treacherous.
That's because, despite his hairy dealings within the criminal underworld, bounty hunters and Jedi Knights, he never had to deal with California Department of Transportation mandates.
His sail barge, the Khetanna, which he used for pleasure cruises and more sinister...

Oh, those traumatic memories of "Toy Story 3."
For some reason, I've kept encountering playthings during my last couple of weeks covering Huntington Beach. First, there was the Course of the Force, a "Star Wars"-themed charity relay in which participants carried a plastic lightsaber — a toy I coveted myself decades back — for a quarter-mile each.
Then last week, I interviewed a family who found the front piece of a Japanese electric train set on the rocks at Huntington Dog Beach. Apparently,...

James Cameron was once quoted giving advice to people who seek a career in the movies. "I think the most important thing if you're an aspiring filmmaker is to get rid of the 'aspiring,'" he said. "You shoot it, you put your name on it, you're a filmmaker. Everything after that, you're just negotiating your budget."
That's easier said than done, especially if "Titanic" and "Avatar" aren't on your resume. Every year, I listen to acceptance speeches at the Academy Awards with the same bemusement I feel...